Model Airplanes

So much goes into the development of a commercial aircraft—billions of dollars, millions of work hours, rivers of sweat—that when a new model is finished, the designers like to throw a party. At Boeing Co.’s rollout of the 777 in April 1994, an event orchestrated by Dick Clark Productions, music swelled while the slogan “Working Together” appeared on a 285-foot screen before thousands of employees gathered at the doors of a massive hangar in Everett, Wash. The phrase was the organizing principle of Boeing’s engineering team and even the name of the first airplane, painted in cursive under the cockpit window. “Because we realized,” a narrator intoned, “that only by working together as a team—with our customers, our suppliers, and each other—would we build a truly great airplane.” Boeing extended its embrace of globalism with its next airplane, the 787 Dreamliner, introduced in 2011, relying on a far-flung network of suppliers that not only built but also designed many of the parts.

These days, the spirit of togetherness goes only so far. Under Dennis Muilenburg, who took over as chief executive officer in 2015, Boeing has turned unapologetically hard-nosed. Even amid the greatest sales boom in aviation history, he’s insisting suppliers cut prices—while he angles to take over their most lucrative repair and maintenance work. This cost initiative is called Partnering for Success; some of its targets call it Pilfering from Suppliers.

Muilenburg drew yet more backlash by pressing a dumping claim last year against Bombardier Inc., a much

Article source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-02-14/boeing-is-killing-it-by-squeezing-its-suppliers

ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WTVY) — A retired air-traffic controller says the sky is the limit.

Jerry May has been flying since the ’70s.
He retired three years ago.
But he’s continued to work hard on a passion started in 2012.

Gerald May, Retired Air Traffic Controller says:
“It’s a Fokker Dr.1, it’s a replica… full size replica of the red baron’s aircraft, Red Baron- Baron Von Richthofen in WWI, he was the German A-string in WWI with 80 confirmed kills.”

“It’s a plane that I’ve been wanting to build ever since I was about 10 years old when I actually built a flying model of the same airplane.”

May says the biggest feature is the 3-wings.
But with a small tail…

“It’s going to be difficult to fly because back in the early days, 1917 was when this was actually built.”

Each part was made from different material.
“The fuselage was built out of steel tube and then the wing parts and everything were all built out of wood and everything was fabric covered later.”

They didn’t have as much knowledge about aerodynamics then.
Now they’re pretty rare.
The World War I airplanes are more popular in New Zealand and Europe – but not here.
“Within the 100 mile radius, there may be 3 Fokker Dr.1’s.”
Jerry’s is one of those three.

Jerry spent 5 1/2 years building this plane but by the time it’s inspected it will have been 6 years.
He hopes to take his first flight in the spring when the

Article source: http://www.wtvy.com/content/news/Retired-Air-Traffic-Controller-builds-airplane-from-scratch-474090543.html

Once the airplane is a bus, the group could use it as a mobile café, a gallery, a museum, and a stage for outdoor musical performances. Clam-shell doors open the back, where the jeeps and howitzers would once have driven in.

Article source: https://www.adn.com/opinions/2018/02/11/theyre-making-a-flying-boxcar-into-a-mobile-coffee-shop-because-it-is-too-cool-not-to/

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A clean-energy advocacy group called for an investigation Tuesday after finding that the Tennessee Valley Authority bought two corporate jets, a Mercedes-Benz luxury helicopter and another plane in recent years.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said the 2015 and 2017 model jets, 2013 model Style helicopter and 2015 turboprop airplane were worth $40 million new, though the helicopter was bought used.

TVA deemed the equipment necessary to meet customers and stakeholders and pursue economic development by attracting companies to the region, another part of the utility’s mission.

Alliance executive director Stephen Smith called the aircraft purchases “the very definition of corruption of the TVA mission.” The group did not specify who should investigate, but called for oversight from TVA’s inspector general and Congress.

“Buying extravagant jets and helicopters is a hijacking of the TVA Act, whose stated purpose is to protect the residential customers, not buy flashy toys for millionaire executives or cut backroom deals with private industry,” Smith said in a news release.

Debbie Dooley, who helped found the ongoing national Tea Party movement and is president of Conservatives for Energy Freedom, said the purchases show TVA Bill Johnson needs to be replaced.

Johnson, the highest-paid federal employee in the nation, is receiving a compensation package of more than $6 million, including retirement and other benefits. The TVA board has said Johnson’s pay is still low compared to salaries of utility executives not in public service.

Article source: http://www.wtva.com/content/news/Group-wants-probe-of-utilitys-jets-luxury-helicopter-473951913.html?ref=913